Whiffletree



(Nd Model.) 7

G. M. AYERS.

WHIFFLETRBE.

No. 476,117. Patented May 31, 1892.

UNiTED STATES PATENT OEETQE.

GEORGE M. AYERS, OF PITTSFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA.

WHIFFLETREE'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,117, dated May 31,1892.

Application filed August 27, 1891. $erial No. 403,907- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. AYERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsfield, in the county of \Varren and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and use ful Improvements inWhiffletrees, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a novel, simple, andefficient means for relieving a draft-animal from shocks occasioned bysuddenly starting a vehicle or when the latter meets an obstruction.

To accomplish this object my invention involves the features ofconstruction and the combination or arrangement of devices hereinafterdescribed and claimed, reference being made to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a whiffletree embodyingmy invention, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the clip,bearing-block, levers, springs, and draft-ring detached from each otherfor the purpose of clearly exhibiting their construction.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will now describe the same in detail, referring to thedrawings, wherein- The numeral 1 indicates the wooden bodysage of atruss rod 9, the end portions of which are secured by screw-nuts 10 orotherwise. The truss-rod rests upon the bearingblock and is properlyretained in position by the perforated ear, and on the truss-rod at eachside of the ear is arranged a coiled or other spring 12, bearing at oneend against the ear and at the opposite end against a swinging lever 13,which, as here shown, is bifurcated or made in the form of a link orloop, pivoted to the bearing-block through the medium of a verticalpivot-pin 14 and embracing the truss-rod in such manner that if thelevers be drawn toward each other they operate to compress the twosprings and thereby place them under increased tension.

The bearing-block is provided at its inner side with projecting studs15, engaged with suitable recesses in the wooden body of thewhiffletree, so that the bearing block is securely held fromdisplacement along the length of the whiffletree. The extremities of thebearing-block are cutaway or recessed to form tenons 16, each having anorifice 17 for the passage of one of the pivot-pins 14. The innerextremities of the levers embrace the tenons and engage the pivot-pins,so that accurate bearings for the levers are provided.

The levers are each loosely connected with a link 18, engaged with adraft-ring 19, adapted to be connected in any suitable manner with adoubletree or other proper part of a vehicle, all in such manner thatwhen the draft strain is applied to the extremities of the whiffletreethrough the medium of the draft traces or chains, the levers will bedrawn toward each other against the power of the two springs, andconsequently the draft-animal is relieved from all shock occasioned bysuddenly starting or stopping the vehicle or where the vehicle meets anobstruction.

The construction and arrangement of parts provide a strong, substantial,and durable spring attachment for whiffletrees which fulfills all theconditions required to relieve shock, while the construction is simple,coonomical, and efficient.

I have described and shown my invention as applied to a whiffletree; butobviously it can .be applied to a doubletree; and, furthermore, it iswell adapted for application to yokes for all kinds of vehicles.

Thetruss-rod is composed of a continuous length of metal, and itmaterially strengthens the whiffletree, thereby rendering it strong,substantial, and durable in use, while by passing the continuoustruss-rods through a projecting part of the bearing-block, the latter issecurely retained in correct position under all circumstances.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination,with a whiftletree and a clip secured thereto centrally between itsends, of a pair of levers pivotally connected at their inner ends withthe said clip, a spring interposed between the two levers and compressedwhen the latter move toward each other, and a draft-ring flexiblyconnected with the outer ends of the two levers to swing them towardeach other when the draft is applied, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a whiffletree, of a clip engaging the same, abearing-block, a pair of levers pivotally engaged with the clip andbearing-block, a truss-rod connected at its extremities with thewhifiietree and restin g against the bearing-block, and a spring orsprings mounted on the truss-rod between the two levers, and means forswinging the levers toward each other to increase the spring-tension,substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a whiffletree, of a bearing-block connectedtherewith and pro-' vided with a projecting part or ear, a trussrodextending through the said projecting part or ear, a pair of leverspivotally engaged with the bearing-block, a pair of springs arranged,respectively, between the levers and the projecting part or car, andmeans for swinging the levers toward each other for increasing thetension of the springs, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a whiffietree, of a clip engaging the same, abearing-block interposed between the extremities of the clip andprovided with a projecting part or ear, a pair of levers connected withthe clip and bearing-block by pivot-pins, a truss-rod extending throughthe levers and the projecting part or ear of the bearing-block, a pairof springs arranged, respectively, between the levers and the projectingpart or ear, a draftring or similar device, and links connecting thedraft-ring or other device with the levers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my sealinpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE M. AYERS. [L. s]

Witnesses:

'B. J. AYERS,

Gno. S. AYERS.

